Homeless voters encouraged to participate

When Lisa Alston registered to vote last year, nothing could stop her — not even homelessness.

Alston, who registered with the address of a homeless shelter, said she’s just waiting for election day to come so she can cast her vote.

But with early voting for the November election starting Thursday, many homeless people don’t know if they are eligible to vote, due to their lack of a physical address.

“Anyone who is homeless can register to vote using the address of a homeless shelter, church or even a food bank,” said Karen Piplani, a volunteer with the Orange County Health Department.

According to the National Law Center, homeless people can also draw a map of a street corner or intersection that they consider a home base to use when they register to vote.

“It’s part of the whole process of reintegrating people whose ties have been broken,” said Jamie Rohe, director of the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness.

Piplani — who registered 14 homeless people to vote at the Project Connect event at the Hargraves Community Center on Thursday — said many homeless people worry about their eligibility to vote after a felony.

“Once that sentence is over your debt is paid,” Piplani said.

The Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, which provides services for homeless residents, recently pushed for guests to register to vote and get involved in politics. In 2010-11, IFC housed 504 homeless residents.

And Judy Klimcheck, the director of residential services for IFC, said it is important for the guests to be educated on how to get involved.

“We talk about having a voice, and how every vote counts,” she said.

Alston said she knows how important it is to be politically active.

“You’ve got a voice so speak it. I use mine all the time and people usually tell me to shut the hell up,” she said. “But everyone’s opinion counts.”

But Alston’s enthusiasm is not shared amongst the entire homeless community.

“People experiencing homelessness feel unentitled to be represented,” Rohe said. “People who are poor are disenfranchised, and many do not vote — their needs are not represented and they are disproportionately represented. It’s a tragedy.”

Recently, some UNC students have mobilized to help push for more representation of homeless people at the polls.

Danny Hogenkamp, an intern for the Obama campaign, said he has visited the local shelter multiple times to register guests to vote and educate about voting procedures.

Hogenkamp, a freshman, said while there are varying levels of political involvement in the homeless community, registering everyone to vote and getting them to the polling places is essential.

“Homeless people have the same citizen status as any other person in the United States — it’s just as important for them to vote as it is for anyone else,” he said.

Steven Farrar, a homeless man, registered to vote through social services. And while he said he plans to vote, he doesn’t think it will matter.

“I don’t think it’s gonna change a bit one way or the other,” he said.

But Klimcheck said it is important to encourage homeless people to vote, especially in local elections, where their vote could make a difference.

Kara Baldwin said being homeless has made it hard to keep up with political issues, but she still plans on voting.

“I watch TV, talk to people and read the newspaper. I take every opportunity possible,” she said.

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.